Power Mom
by MadelinBreaker
Summary: A senior staff victory party changes C.J.’s life forever, impacts the dynamic of the West Wing, and brings out those pesky liberal women.
1. The reality of alcohol

Disclaimer: I do not own the West Wing and I am not making any money by writing about it.

Title: Power Mom

Author: Madelin Breaker

Warnings: Suggestion of Sexual Situations

Pairings: None

Season: Towards the end of season four

Spoilers: Up to season four—may allude to future seasons

Rating: K+

Status: WIP

Archive: Sure, just let me know

Feedback: Please

Summary: A senior staff victory party changes C.J.'s life forever, impacts the dynamic of the West Wing, and brings out those pesky liberal women.

A\N: I've borrowed this plot bunny from another writer and I wish I could give her credit, but I have no idea who she is, having found the fic buried somewhere on a yahoo group. I promise though that this story does not resemble hers beyond the initial plot point.

A\N2: The religion and country that are part of a political sub-plot in this story are completely made up. They are not intended to resemble any real country or religion or to be a satire of any real country or religion.

* * *

C.J. groans as light begins to permeate the haze of her hangover.

"Mmph," she continues as she tries to pull the covers up over her head. C.J. rolls over and pulls harder on the blankets that refuse to move from the other side of the bed. She's finally forced to open her eyes when her foggy brain cannot conceive how the covers got glued to the bed. This reveals a bigger surprise than she bargained.

C.J. screams and scrambles to the head of the bed, grabbing the pillows to cover her naked body. At the same time, the occupant of the other side of the bed exclaims surprise and then rolls out of bed with a loud umph.

"Josh, what the _hell_ are you doing in my bed?"

Josh's head pops up over the edge of the bed "huh" he runs his hand through his hair, "un C.J. we're naked."

"I applaud your powers of observation, Lyman." C.J. glances at the floor and fails to find any of her clothes. She resorts to grabbing the sheet at the foot of the bed and wrapping it around herself. She quickly pads into the bathroom in search of her robe, leaving Josh to pass out on the floor.

She emerges a while later washed, dressed in a robe, and the fuzzy taste removed from her mouth. Josh is snoring with his cheek plastered to the hard wood floor. C.J. kicks him and he jumps with a snort. He looks up at her from the floor and his unfocused eyes make C.J. look like a wavering giant.

C.J. can't help smiling at the hung over Josh, staring bizarrely up at her, but the moment fades quickly. "Josh go take a shower."

She leaves him to pick himself up and heads to the living room. The evidence of what happened last night is spread all over the room. C.J. picks her bra up off a lamp and ponders the cliché in that. She then turns on the important coffee pot and returns to the living room to clean up.

Josh emerges from the bath room debating how embarrassing it would be at this point to be walking around in only a towel. He then trips over his clothes piled outside the door. Josh pops up with as much dignity as he can muster and puts his clothes on.

C.J. looks up from her laptop as Josh emerges from her bedroom.

"This is many shades of weird, isn't it?"

"I made coffee. The cups are on the second shelf on the left." C.J. quickly dismisses his attempt to talk.

Josh returns with a cup of coffee, "We're not going to talk about this are we?"

"Do you remember anything?"

"Toby had a bottle of vodka." Josh runs his hand through his hair again. "It gets a little hazy after that."

"Do we have anything to talk about then?" she responds, shutting down her laptop.

"Nah, I guess not." Josh looks uncomfortably down at the floor. He doesn't understand how C.J. can just do this. He shudders for a moment. _It's like sleeping with my sister._ C.J. smiles at him -not a big smile- but one that let's him know that things will be okay eventually.

"I'm going to get dressed."

* * *

The tranquility between C.J. and Josh is short lived. Fuzzy memories are beginning to return and Josh made a joke about the mole on C.J.'s inner thigh. Matters are made worse when they realize they must have taken a cab—neither car is parked on the street.

"Josh, where have you been? I've paged you six times! You have a meeting with Senator Wells in five minutes." A distraught Donna rambles as they stride down the hallway. "Are you wearing the same suit as yesterday?" Donna finally notices C.J. walking with them and castes her a suspicious look.

Josh inadvertently derails Donna's train of thought by shoving his cell phone and pager at her. "I think they need charged."

The panic in C.J.'s stomach diminishes as she listens to Donna tell Josh exactly why he's meeting with the Senator Wells. If anyone is gong to pick up on the weird vibe between Josh and her, it would be Donna.

"C.J.?" Will Bailey pops up beside her.

"Yeah," she responds barely paying attention as she watches Josh and Donna go off in a different direction.

"Are the parties here always like that?"

"Yeah," C.J. responds hardily. The sweetness of yesterday's victory finally returns to her. She notes Will's appearance. "You look like hell."

"Yeah, I fell asleep in your office."

C.J. stops abruptly in the hallway at the image that flashes through her mind. "In my office now," she whispers harshly.

C.J.'s office door slams behind them.

"Are you going to shove me up against the wall again?" Will's question is neutral, merely a statement that something happened between them.

"How much do you remember?" she sits down behind the desk.

"Everything, though, I'm not quite sure how in charge of my facilities I was."

"Will, we're adults and we were drunk."

He interrupts whatever she was going to say next. "I know and don't tell any one." He shrugs with his hand in his pockets.

C.J. smiles weakly at him. "I promise not to put anymore olives in your pocket," she offers as a weak peace gesture.

"Thanks." Will turns and leaves.

C.J. sighs and lays her head on her desk. Moments later Carol comes bustling in.

"Coffee, Tylenol, and the morning wires," she declares a little too perky for someone who is hung over.

"Carol you're a life saver."

"Sure, staff in fifteen minutes."

C.J.'s groan can be heard for quite a distance.

* * *

Leo enters the oval office to find the rest of the senior staff seated or as seated as they can be while fidgeting around. Leo walks over to stand by the President, but no one else seems aware of his presence.

"Mr. President?"

"Leo, they've been like this since they got here."

"Like what, sir?" The senior staff being antsy doesn't seem like a national crisis to him.

"C.J. runs for the hills every time Josh or Will look at her and, well, Toby's still seems to think he can move farther over on the couch."

Leo raises his eyebrows. "Sir, I think we have more important things to worry about."

"Right, right"

"Hey guys, we're up here."

Everyone jumps at Leo's gruff words.

"Would someone like to tell me what we have today or should we sit and pretend not to look at each other for another ten minutes."

"Leo, is Margaret withholding coffee from you," Josh begins, "because your mood…"

Josh stops when he sees the look on Leo's face.

"Anyway, I've met with Wells this morning. He can bring us seven votes if we drop amendment five off the bill.

"What's amendment five and what does he have against it?" The president asks.

"Apparently, it prohibits the US from donating certain food to Vendel."

"And those seven votes come from districts that produce some of those foods." Will quickly deduces.

"Why do we care what type of food gets sent to Vendel?" Toby asks in his usual "I can't believe we're having this conversation voice."

The President of course knows the answer to this, "What type of food do you not send to aid a people who practice the Abalan faith?"

"They're the one who refuse to eat anything orange?" Will asks to clarify.

"Yeah, something to do with it being the color from their devil."

"And if we drop this amendment there's a chance any help we send would go to waste because carrots would be taken as an insult." The conversation bounces back to Josh.

"Don't we have someone who regulates that anyway?" The President asks.

Everyone in the room looks at each other, but no one seems to know. Finally Josh responds, "I'll look into that sir."

"Okay" Leo interjects to move onto another subject, "Anything else?"

A knock on the door answers Leo's question. Carol opens the door and gives them an apologetic look. She hands C.J. a folder, and quickly exits. C.J. scans the contents- her face forming a mask of frustration.

"C.J.?" Leo prompts.

"Toby, did you make an intern cry?" she asks with an accusatory tone.

"No" Toby responds like he can't believe she just asked that question.

"Well, Time and the Post have it. It'll be tomorrow's top story along with the announcement of her tell all book."

"Well, that's just great. Who is she?"

"Gladys Timpton"

"Yeah, I think she worked for me. The name sounds vaguely familiar."

"Didn't we have one of those last year?" The President asks.

"Yes, sir, but no one took that one seriously. This one seems to have caught the press's attention. It has a more serious content than séances with the first lady.

"C.J. keep me posted on that. Toby, Will, the education speech?"

"It's coming, Leo," Toby grumbles.

The senior staff seems to have returned to their earlier mood and Leo really doesn't want to know what's up. "Okay, anything else?'

No one says anything so Leo turns to the President.

"Go do your jobs," he dismisses them.

They leave the oval office mumbling "Thank you, sir."

"Leo, there's something going on with those four."

Leo looks like he is going to regret asking this, "Do you want me to look into it?"

The President thinks about this for a moment. "Naw, it's not of our business. They'll work it out."

"Yes, sir. Thank you sir," Leo responds and then goes to his office.

"Margaret!"

She comes scurrying to the room, "Yes, Leo?"

I need the memo ways and means sent over last night."

Margaret nods and turns to leave. Leo sits down at his desk, glasses on, and ready to work, but then he stops. "Margaret."

"Hmm" she pauses in the doorway.

"No, never mind." He wave her off.

"Are you sure?"

"The President thought the senior staff was acting odder than usual today?" Leo reluctantly puts out.

"Toby, Josh, and Will are wearing the same suits as yesterday. And they had a party in the cafeteria and I mean _partay."_

Leo gets his usual glazed over look.

"But I suppose that isn't that strange."

"No, it's not. Could you get the memo now?"

"Yeah, sure."

TBC

* * *

Thank you to all my loyal readers!


	2. The entire night

See part one for disclaimer and other important information.

* * *

C.J. flops down on her couch with the offensive book. She highly doubts that this intern had more than a fleeting glance at the President, but here she is mocking him by claiming she was the voice in the back of the Presidents head suggesting policy changes. _If this is the first chapter, I can't imagine what else she's dreamed up._

Carol shakes C.J.'s shoulder, "C.J. come on. You have a briefing in ten minutes."

"Yeah, Carol I'm up, she responds sleepily and tries to rub her eyes, but finds her glasses in the way. She takes them off and sits up to discover Carol still hovering over her, "What?"

"Toby wants to see you after the briefing. There's a new study on Marijuana that you need to read. The gaggle's scheduled for two, staffs at 6:30, and you still need to read that book."

"Carol"

"Hmm."

"Go away."

C.J. heads straight for the pain pills and then searches for her briefing book, "Carol, where's my briefing book?"

"Here, some of us haven't been sleeping," she answers, adding a smile.

"Thanks Carol."

C.J. takes a moment to put her game face on while Carol calls the two minute warning. She doesn't know how to characterize how she feels right now. She's completely comfortable with her sexuality and has had one night stands before, but Josh is like her brother and Will—that's just weird.

She takes a deep breath and let's the moment pass. There would be plenty of time to question her morality later. _In front of the press—show no weakness._

* * *

"You wanted to see me."

"Yeah, shut the door."

"Good job on the briefing," Toby says still shuffling through papers.

"Thanks."

"So what's up, pokey?" She flops down on the couch.

Toby tosses his pen onto his desk and scratches his head in a nervous manner, "Last night…"

"No---This is not happening." She stands up, backing away.

"How is this different than the last time this happened?"

C.J. sits back down on the couch with her usual flippant display of confidence. "I banged Will in my office and took Josh home will me. I feel like such a whore."

Toby does what he knows he can do. He has never been one for words of spontaneous wisdom, needing to craft them out of yellow paged rough drafts. Toby sits down on the couch beside her and opens his arms as the moment of self-confidence melts into tears of self-pity. Their friendship has been restored to balance--one of understanding trust, and safety, but nothing more. He knows she's not as good at this as she thinks she is.

TBC

Thank you to all my loyal readers!


	3. The Plus Sign

See part one for the disclaimer and other important information.

"Steve," C.J. acknowledges.

"Has the president demonstrated any signs of changing his mind about endorsing Mark Perry?'

"No, the president is still firm in his belief that Perry does not have the American people's interest in mind. That's it for now guys. I'll see you at the five o'clock briefing."

No one really notices that C.J. has cut the briefing a little shorter than usual--only Carol is a little suspicious when C.J. runs straight to the bathroom. Luckily for C.J. one of the deputies distracts Carol before she can think too much about it.

Inside the bathroom, C.J. is starring at a toilet bowel, wondering when the last time it had been cleaned. She would have put this off to food poisoning if it had ended last week. She knows that her mother had problems with morning sickness. It was one of those facts that her mother liked to share when she felt C.J. was being ungrateful. The home pregnancy test has been sitting in her bathroom for two days, but she hasn't had the courage to use it yet. Denial is working well for C.J.

C.J. sighs and pulls herself off of the floor. She washes her mouth out and checks to make sure she's presentable before heading back to the office.

"Carol get me Mark Perry's campaign manager. I want to know where the press keeps getting the impression that the President is going to change his mind."

"Sure, boss. Peter dropped these off. It's the budget for the new Homeland Security Bill."

"Thanks—just what I wanted."

"Anytime—do you want some coffee? I was headed over there anyways."

"No thanks," C.J. flashes a smile before ducking into her office.

* * *

The little plus sign is starring C.J. in the face. Her first response is to make a doctor's appointment, but that would mean talking to Carol. Before she can tell anyone, she has to talk to Leo and she really doesn't want to do that. Any other woman could have this baby and only be scorned by the little old lady living down the street. The political area has much different standards. After Leo and the MS scandal, the administration doesn't need anything else. Leo is going to yell and after that it's going to be months of carefully balancing the press. C.J. just wants a few moments more to savor the idea of being a mother. It is a desire that C.J. hasn't had since graduating college. The concept of being a career woman has worked just fine, but the longing has really just been hiding under the surface.

* * *

"Margaret, does he have a minute?"

"Yeah, but just a minute. He has a meeting."

"Thanks."

"Margaret, I'm coming--just hold your horses."

"Leo…"

"C.J.," he stops in mid-stride, "Margaret's been antsy all day."

"Okay…I need to talk to you."

"Talk fast"

"I'm pregnant."

"We'll deal with it at staff," he thinks for a moment, "I'm happy for you, but the administration really doesn't need this right now." He moves closer to the door, "Margaret move staff up to noon and cancel my 12:30."

"Leo?"

"Yes, I have a good reason."

"Okay—Congratulations C.J."

Leo shakes his head and leaves C.J. standing in his office.

* * *

"Leo, I'm supposed to be meeting with Brookheimer. What's going on?" Josh asks as he enters the office.

"He's not here yet," Will informs him.

"Does anybody have any idea what's going on?" Toby asks again, sounding incredibly grumpy.

C.J. and Leo pick that moment to enter the office.

Leo very bluntly exclaims, "C.J.'s pregnant—we need a game plan."

Jaws drop at the news and none of them can speak.

"Hello, I'm still in the room."

"We'll throw you a baby shower later."

"We're going to have right wingers all over us the moment this breaks."

Josh adds, "We need a controlled leak to the press."

Leo then asks the biggest question of them all, "What about the father? This isn't going to do us much good if he gets out there first."

Josh and Will try to speak, but C.J. get there first, "I'm not exactly sure who the father is."

Josh and Will look shocked, then at each other, and then at Toby. He shrugs a little. They realize what really happened.

"No, there wont' be a problem," Josh begins.

"No, Toby?" Will continues.

"Of course not."

"I don't want to know. This is worse than a soap opera. C.J. set up the leak."

"Why don't we run this through the first ladies office? Turn it into a women's issue," Will suggests.

"It's good idea. Congress isn't going to mess with such a large population of voters."

"C.J.?"

"I'll talk to Abbey."

"Okay, let's move on." Leo looks expectantly at this staff.

C.J. puts her glasses on and read her notes, "The Real Intellect of the Bartlet Administration will hit the shelves in two weeks—the press has the full copy now."

"Can't we just make fun of it like the last one?"

"Unfortunaly, even I can't make jokes out of this. The only funny part is my name. I already tried that. It obviously didn't work," C.J. pauses and then continues with an idea, "Why don't we simply state what she did do. She was a White House staffer who worked in the communications department. She in no way had access to accomplish her claims."

"C.J. sweep it under the rug."

"Environmental Bill 847 has been pushed up," Josh states, starting the new topic.

Will once again clarifies, "The one that practically repeals the Endangered Species Act of 1973?"

"I think we need to keep that," Leo responds sarcastically.

"We should get something together to counter it."

"I want to see numbers."

Margaret knocks on the door, "Senator Rodgers is here."

"Guys go"

TBC

Thank you to all my loyal readers!


	4. The Reality

See part one for the disclaimer and other important information.

AN: The second scene is written in first person—I'm not sure why, but it is.

"Abbey?"

"Have a seat."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Amy has put together a plan—I'm not sure what it is—but I'm sure it will help," Abbey smiles, "She'll coordinate with Carol to make sure the linguistics work out."

"Thank you, ma'am," C.J. responds hesitantly, she had expected a little more detail.

"C.J. do you want to talk about this—Leo made grumbling noises when I asked who the father is."

C.J. sits back in the chair and laughs, "Josh, Will, or Toby—hats off to all of us for not thinking about birth control or for that matter what we were doing in the first place.

Abbey raises an eyebrow and C.J. bursts into hysterical giggles, "I don't know why this is funny all of a sudden—my life is screwed—the press is going to have a field day—the three stooges are going to be overprotective—and I'm going to get even less sleep. I keep thinking that I'm okay with this, but it turns out that I'm not."

"C.J., you do have options," Abbey offers in a serious tone.

"I want the baby," C.J. smiles, "I do want this baby—I just don't know what it says about me that I can screw three men, get pregnant, and then just continue with my life."

"But you're not," Abbey states firmly, "You could have walked away from this from the get go, but instead you're sitting in my office having a crisis of conscience."

C.J.'s face evens out to a smile again.

"Claudia Jean Cregg!" the President can be heard booming from the outer office.

Abbey sighs and gets up to stop the tornado before he can cause any damage.

* * *

I return to my office hoping for a few moments of peace. Abby had stopped whatever Jed's lecture was going to be about, but the next few days are probably going to be awkward with him.

"Carol make sure I'm not …never mind."

It would be hard for me to miss the three men in my office.

"Please tell me there's been a thing and you guys aren't in here to…"

"Ask about the baby."

I look to Toby as I sit down—separated solemnly from the group—he shrugs, indicating he's just been drug along for the ride.

"Josh, what do you want? I have a whole stack of briefing memos to read—our jobs haven't just suddenly stopped."

For a moment, I think he's going to have an attack—right there in front of us, but finally he poses the question, "What does this mean?"

"It means I'm having a baby—my life is going to be complete chaos—you guys get to play dopey uncles' and spoil the child."

"I'm not dopey," Toby objects.

Will and Josh shoot him an evil look—I laugh—Toby gets it—the fact that nothing is going to change between the four of us—that being my friend is what's going to help as the baby grows.

"C.J. we want to be involved."

Does he think that I'm going to hide the baby? That I've become a different person in the last few hours? "And you will—I promise, but I don't want declarations of love, marriage, or of anything—I'm doing this on my own."

Toby stands up and I want to sing praises to him, "Are we done harassing C.J. so I can get back to work?"

Josh and Will nod, getting up to make an exit.

"Guys, we are still friends," I try to reassure them—I need normal right now.

They smile weakly back at me.

"Give us time—C.J.—give us time."

Time is what we always need.

TBC

Thank you to all my loyal readers!


	5. The Carrots

See part one for the disclaimer and other information.

C.J. takes final questions for the afternoon briefing.

"Katie"

"With Gladys Timpton's tell all book ready to hit the stands today is the White House ready to deny her claims to fame?"

"Gladys Timpton was a White House staffer who worked in the communication department. She in no way had the access or resources to do as she has claimed."

"So the book is completely fictitious?"

"Well, Steve, I will say she does have a healthy imagination, but a few sections do have a hint of truth. After all, she did have responsibilities as a staffer. We don't hire people to sit around."

"Is the White House pursuing legal action against Gladys Timpton?"

"I'm going to direct that question to the council's office—Anything else?—No—good—Carol will be distributing further information on Gladys Timpton—see you at five."

"Carol, I need more information on the Abalan religion—I can't believe we sent the carrots—wasn't someone suppose to fix that—and I want to know why Katie knew before I did?"

"You mean the people who won't eat orange stuff?"

"Yeah—and get me Josh."

"C.J. what was that middle section? It's two o'clock so all hell has to break loose," Toby joins her, waving his arms.

"Don't blame this on me," she gives him a pointed look, "I didn't know anything about it going into the briefing and I think I did damn well at covering."

"I'm not blaming you, I'm just…," he makes a "you know" gesture.

"Hey, what's going on?" Josh finally enters the scene.

"That's what we want to know."

"No one's been briefed?"

"Carol," she calls through the doorway, "Find out where Leo is."

"On it."

"How did this happen?"

"Someone on protocol messed up. I can't believe this—after all the hoops I jumped through to get Wells to back off."

"We don't know that's true—we're all assuming it has something to do with the food donations—maybe some tourists packed an orange shirt."

"I can't believe the only information we have on this is from a reporter's question."

"Leo is in the situation room with the President—Margaret says he'll find you when he gets out."

"Thank you, Carol.'

"At least CNN hasn't caught it yet."

C.J. fades out for a moment listening to Josh and Toby rant—it has taken a major crisis for things to return to normal—a small portion of her wants them to fuss—that how dare anything make them forget—but pushes it aside—glad that perhaps friendship will return.

* * *

The day drags on as no sign of movement from the situation room is made. CNN has managed to get a reporter into Vendel—the streets filled with protesters turning violent—the complete contrary of the Vendelians.

"Dad?" C.J. asks almost as a question, hoping that tonight her father will remember.

"Darling"

"How are you?"

"Fine—today has been a good day—or so Molly tells me. Why the late phone call?"

"Today has not been such a good day here and I just needed to talk to you."

"I don't think that's it—I know you well."

"That you do, Dad."

"So what is it, darling?"

"I'm pregnant."

Silence is the only response.

"Dad?"

"I'm just surprised, honey—I never thought I would hear you say those words."

"I was shocked too, Dad—I was shocked, too."

"You won't be bringing anyone home for the holidays?" he asks in order to confirm what he already suspects.

"No, Dad."

"I'm happy for you, darling—make sure that you take care of yourself—oh—I have a box for you—your mother insisted that I save it for you."

"Daddy," she grasps, getting teary eyed.

"C.J., they need you in the Oval," Carol interrupts.

"Dad, I have to go."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

TBC

Thank you to all my loyal readers!


	6. The Doorway

See part one for disclaimer and other information.

* * *

"Josh sent me over with these and I'm not sure where Carol is," Donna explains to C.J. while standing nervously in her doorway.

"Thanks. Donna is everything alright?" Donna only hesitates in her doorway when something odd has happened and she doesn't know what to do about it.

Donna walks in and shuts the door. "I know about the baby."

"How?" C.J. panics that somehow it's been leaked—they have to announce first to keep ahead of the story.

"I wheedled it out of Josh. I knew something had happened—he was acting funny—I guess he needed to tell someone." She shrugs, looking a little pit panicked herself.

C.J. sits back in relief. "It's okay Donna." She smiles.

"This is just a little weird."

"Image it from my side?" C.J. laughs.

"Yeah." She laughs, too.

"Donna!" Josh's below can be herd even through the door.

"I've got to go." She sighs. "Congratulations."

"Thanks."

* * *

"I've got it!" Toby appears in C.J.'s doorway with a very rare smile on his face.

"Got what, Pokey?"

"The answer to our prayers." He throws his hands up in the air.

"You've banished the Republicans to Antarctica."

"No, but that is a good idea," he agrees, sitting in the chair opposite C.J.'s desk.

"Then what? I'm a girl on a schedule."

"I've solved the Vendel crisis."

"How?"

"The Alba has to perform a cleansing ceremony with a representative from the U.S."

"And don't we have people whose job it is to figure that out."

"They've been working with the state rather than the religion?" Will asks from the doorway. "Sorry, I heard Toby humming when he passed my office and I thought the world was ending."

"I think someone just volunteered to write the undersecretary's remarks to the National Photography Club."

"Gee—thanks—shouldn't we tell the President?"

"There's one problem," Toby replies.

"We don't have an official representative to Vendel since we wear orange." Josh also appears, crowding Will in the doorway. "Half the building heard your proclamation," he offers as an explanation for his sudden appearance.

"We need to go to the President now," C.J. states firmly.

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Amy suddenly appears in C.J.'s doorway.

"Exhausted." C.J. takes her glasses off and sits back.

"Yeah, I heard about the thing with the carrot people."

"You really shouldn't call them that."

"But I will." She switches gears. "Mrs. Bartlet sent me about the thing."

"Shut the door."

"Yeah." Amy does so and then takes the seat in front of C.J.'s desk.

"Mrs. Bartlet didn't go into very many specifics when I spoke to her."

"I've put together a new campaign for the First Lady. I've nickname it "motherhood," but it focuses on the working women of the twenty-first century. We should have done this before. It's time we knocked down a few walls."

"And this isn't going to be just a little bit obvious."

"Yeah, but it'll have same effect." She shrugs.

"Is there an announcement date worked into this plan?" C.J. doesn't really like the idea of so much of the situation being out of her hands.

"No, I assumed that had to be coordinated with the President's agenda."

"Yes, good." C.J. doesn't know how much she likes that thought either. "Thank you, Amy for stopping by. Your office will keep Carol informed?"

"Yes of course." Amy stands up. "Congratulations."

"Thank you." C.J. smiles.

Amy turns back before she opens the door. "Do you know what's up with Josh?"

"Isn't there always something up with Josh?" C.J. covers.

"Yeah." Amy eyes her slightly suspiciously, but leaves anyway.

* * *

"Has the relief aid been successfully sent to the country of Vendel?"

"Yes, Steve. Katie?"

"What was the hold-up in the process?"

"The packing crates were marked with a particular shade of red that the Abalan religion considers to be orange. A professor from Princeton University who is currently in the country studying the culture was appointed representative and was able to perform the appropriate purification ceremony. Carol will be passing out packets on this process. Mark?"

"Is this a permanent appointment?"

"No, the professor has declined interest in a permanent government appointment, wishing to continue his studies. A representative will be chosen in the near future to prevent further problems. I'll see you guys at two o'clock."

C.J. leaves the podium and finds Josh lurking in the hallway.

"What's going on?"

"I'm hiding from Amy."

"By following me?"

"Not a great plan, huh?'

"No not really."

"Did you tell Amy about…" His voice trails off as they pass several staffers.

"No, but she's not stupid."

"I thought we had broken up, but now she's always in my office."

"You don't know?"

"It was all a little confusing." Josh shrugs.

"Why don't you just ask her?"

"I tried to get Donna to, but she refused."

"I wonder why?"

"You're not going to help me either, are you?"

"No"

"Okay, I'm going to talk to Charlie." He abruptly changes directions leaving C.J. to enter her office alone.

TBC...


End file.
